Good afternoon. Are there any recommended dealers to handle servicing of a 2020 F450 6.7L? Seems there are bad and better service departments in all areas. I'd appreciate any recommendations. Thanks!

 

another F450 owner, with a white truck, named Scott, in the PNW?



Not sure about your question, but would like to know as well. I bought from Ford of Kirkland in December and have 2,500 miles now. Mostly planning on doing my own basic services.

 

Hello to a fellow Scott.

I just picked up my F450 from Laurel Ford in the Billings MT area. Good deal and optioned the way I wanted. Not currently a huge selection with the 2020 switchover. And a fun father/son adventure.

Stopped by my local dealer to introduce myself and get acquainted with the service department. Was not impressed when they told me the average lead time for a service appointment was 1 month. This started me wondering about service quality and convenience. Thus, my question.

If it is what it is, I will learn to deal with it. But I have not had a response like this from a service department in many years.

Thought I might take advantage of the FordPass Rewards for service but it is currently sounding a bit inconvenient. A month for an oil change? I will do my own, too.

 

It may be a bit of a drive but Fugate Ford in Enumclaw is not bad.

 

@NorthwesternCowboy uses Ranaway Diesel in Duvall if you want a independent shop.

 

Thanks! I'll look into them.

 

No love for Bickford?

 

Enumclaw isn't too far from me, I'll look into them as well. Typically I check the dealer's website for inventory. If they don't list any F450/F550's, or even have any F350 duallys available, I figure they are only good for "basic" stuff that would be common across the entire platform (interior, engine, transmission, etc.) But things like front suspension, tires, wheels, etc. they wouldn't be prepared to handle. Evergreen in Issaquah comes to mind, as I've never seen them list any of the F450's, are I think I saw one dually listed over the past two years.

 

@Scollins you might check Horizon in Burien/Tukwila, I occasionally get parts from them.

 

I have no problem with Bickford and have ordered accessories there. But a month lead time for an oil change seems excessive.

 

Torin at Ranaway is the only guy that gets to touch my stuff. Master of the Powerstrokes and he'll take care of you 100%. We put 4 6ohs through his shop and mine has been running amazing for well over a year now, just oil changes. How many 6.0 people can say that, honestly?! HAHA

Kirkland can kick rocks, Bickford is avoided by the Ford owners I trust up here unless they're desperate (I'm 3 miles away), and Epic Ford is the only one I've heard is worth any time as far as the service departments go. From what it sounds like, Bickford knows they ain't losing any business from people smart enough to know the stealership is doing it's thing with stupid parts markups cuz they have all the squirrels that just eat the cost and also their long-standing name they can fall back on. I picked up a part I ordered at a massive markup one time in a hurry and there was nothing about the experience that made me think "cool this place is a neat group of folks who love Fords" - One stop at Ranaway to talk to Torin and I never looked elsewhere.

Edit - I'm feeling feisty today so I might be harder on the dealerships that necessary, but it's at least fair to say if I had to choose between Ranaway and a dealership, it's Ranaway 100% of the time.

 

My Brothers good friend had a 6.7, sold as fast as he could as Bickford and Epic couldn't figure out the issue for more than 100 miles. The two shops were chasing for months.

Maybe they are parts changer's instead of diagnostician's.

 

Yea, I'm on the "don't get service done at Bickford" bandwagon. Last time my wife had her fusion there, she showed up at home with a large pool of oil under the car in the driveway. They didn't tighten the oil filter at all. Don't get me started on their [Satire] amazing troubleshooting capabilities either. I take stuff I need serviced that I cannot do to Harris. I wouldn't buy a vehicle from them, however, I have a friend who works there and I am always assured that he is the one working on my rigs.

 

Unfortunately that is what is happening more and more;

What does the scanner say?

If we have 3 codes we work on the most expensive one first and just throw the parts the troubleshooting guide says to at it! When that doesn't work it's "Oh Well! It's just broke and we don't know why."

ABSOLUTELY DO NOT LEARN OR UNDERSTAND HOW THE SYSTEMS WORK TOGETHER AND SOMETHING IN A DIFFERENT SYSTEM CAN EFFECT THE ONE SHOWING THE ISSUE!!!!

This is why my customers still ask for me to travel around the world to fix their stuff. To many people just can't grasp that all of the systems have to work together correctly or none will work at all. I just went through this with a 40" check valve here in Argentina. Can't get people to understand that the valve actually works in 3 different modes, mechanically locked closed, automatic swing check with a hydraulic damper, and mechanically locked open. They jammed it trying to force the valve open and it was in automatic so with the pump stopped and no flow the valve was physically closed and the actuator showed open. Part of the issue is the actuator does not show Automatic and Manually Open. Now it works as designed with no issues.